Dr Beecher’s February 27 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Week of Monday, February 27th, 2012

 

 

Mental Attitude: Chewing Gum? Students who chewed gum for 5 minutes before taking a test did better on the test than non-gum-chewing students. “Mastication-induced arousal” is credited for the boost, which lasted for just the first 20 minutes of testing. Many studies have shown that any type of physical activity before an examination can produce a performance boost; this study points out that even mild physical activity can bring on such a boost. Chewing gum gave the subjects multiple advantages, but only when chewed for five minutes before testing, not for the duration of the test, so you can’t chew gum and think productively at the same time. Appetite, Jan 2012

 

Health Alert: Graceful Age. The number of people over the age of 90 in the US will reach 9 million by 2050. To put the number in perspective, there were 720,000 people age 90 years or over in 1980, and today there are nearly 2 million. 74.1% of persons over 90 are women, with 88.1% of those being Caucasian. An average person who has lived to 90 years of age has a life expectancy today of 4.6 more years (versus 3.2 years in 1929-

1931), while those who pass the century mark are projected to live another 2.3 years.

U.S. Census Bureau, Jan 2012

 

Diet: Calories And Protein. In a study on overfeeding, researchers observed those in a low protein diet group gained considerably less weight (6.97 lbs) compared to 13.3 lbs in the normal protein diet group and 14.4 lbs in the high protein diet group. JAMA, Jan 2012

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise helps you to maintain your resting metabolic rate and reduces the risk of developing colon cancer. Exercise also increases your tissues’ responsiveness to the actions of insulin (i.e., improves tissue sensitivity for insulin), helping to better control blood sugar, particularly if you are a Type II diabetic. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: Chiropractic Before Surgery? A lumbar diskectomy is one of the most common spine surgical procedures, with an average charge of $7,841, not including lost wages and productivity. A recent study

suggests that many patients will improve with nonoperative therapy (such as chiropractic manipulation) and that a trial of conservative management before surgery is appropriate. Spine Journal, June 2010

 

Wellness/Prevention: Another Cup Of Tea. Green tea contains catechins, polyphenolic compounds that are known to exert numerous protective effects, particularly on the cardiovascular system. Green tea catechins at doses ranging from 145 to 3,000 mg per day taken for 3 to 24 weeks led to statistically significant reductions in total and LDL (“bad”). Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Nov 2011

 

Quote: “In the end, you’re measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.”

~ Donald Trump

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Dr Beecher’s February 20 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday, February 20th, 2012

 

 

Mental Attitude: Not So Smart At 45? A human’s ability to remember data, to reason, and to understand things properly can begin to worsen at 45 years old (not at 60 years old, as previously believed). Mental reasoning among males aged 45-49 dropped by 3.6%, and 9.6% in the 65-70 age group. Among females, the decline was 3.6% for those aged 45-49, and 7.4% among those aged 65-70. This demonstrates the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles, particularly cardiovascular health, as there is emerging evidence that “what is good for our hearts is also good for our heads.” Risk factors linked to cognitive decline: hypertension, obesity and

high cholesterol levels. British Medical Journal, Jan 2012

 

Health Alert: The Uninsured! Lack of health insurance is associated with less preventive care, delays in diagnosis and unnecessary deaths. However, insurance status doesn’t affect the quantity (or value) of imaging services received by patients in a hospital, in-patient setting. Uninsured hospital in-patients who underwent imaging received the same number of imaging services as insured persons. The uninsured received fewer interventional and image-guided procedures but more computed tomography (CT) studies.

Journal of the American College of Radiology, Jan 2012

 

Diet: Diet And Brain Shrinkage. Elderly people with higher levels of vitamins B, C, D, E and omega 3 fatty acids in their blood had better performance on mental acuity tests and less of the brain shrinkage typical of Alzheimer’s disease. Consistently worse cognitive performance was associated with a higher intake of the type of trans-fats found in baked and fried foods, margarine, fast food and other less-healthy dietary choices. Neurology, Jan 2012

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise helps to relieve constipation, expands blood plasma volume, reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer and helps to combat substance abuse.

Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: Posture and Health. Posture and normal physiology are interrelated. Posture affects and moderates every physiological function from breathing to hormonal production. Abnormal posture is evident in patients with chronic and stress related illnesses. Homeostasis and nervous system function are ultimately connected with posture. American Journal of Pain Management

 

Wellness/Prevention: Licorice And Tooth Decay. Two substances in licorice (licoricidin and licorisoflavan

  1. A) kill the bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease, the leading causes of tooth loss in children and

adults. Journal of Natural Products, Jan 2012

 

Quote: “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” ~ Albert Einstein

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

 

Dr Beecher’s February 13 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!

WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday, February 13th, 2012

 

 

Mental Attitude: Emotions Not On My Sleeve? Contrary to what many scientists think, all people do not have the same set of biologically “basic” emotions and those emotions are not automatically expressed on the face. People do not scowl only when they’re angry or pout only when they’re sad. For example, people do a lot of things when they’re angry, sometimes they yell and sometimes they smile.

Current Directions in Psychological Science, Jan 2012

 

Health Alert: Ten Ways To Decrease Cancer Risk! 1.) Max BMI of 25; 2.) 5 or more servings of fruits &

veggies daily; 3.) 7 or more portions of complex carbs daily; 4.) decrease processed foods & refined sugars;

5.) limit alcoholic drinks to 1/day for women and 2/day for men; 6.) limit red meat to no more than 3 oz daily;

7.) decrease fatty foods, particularly animal fats; 8.) limit intake of salted foods & use of salt in cooking;

9.) eliminate tobacco use; 10.) practice sun safety/recognize skin changes. American Cancer Society

 

Diet: Soy And Hot Flash. According to a placebo-controlled study, daily doses of a soy germ-based nutritional supplement containing S-equol decreased menopausal symptoms 59%, including significantly reducing hot

flash frequency after 12 weeks. It is believed that S-equol, produced from the isoflavone daidzein during the fermentation of soy germ, interacts with specific estrogen receptors to promote the improvement in menopausal

symptoms. Journal of Women’s Health, Jan 2012

 

Exercise: Colds And Exercise. Different levels of exercise can significantly increase or decrease your chances of catching a cold. If you tend to be a couch potato, then you will catch 2-3 colds per year, on average. Regular moderate exercise can reduce the risk of catching cold-like infections by 33% (this effect has been shown to be the result of the cumulative effect of exercise leading to long-term improvement in immunity). Prolonged strenuous exercise, such as marathons, can make an individual more susceptible to catching colds. We are constantly exposed to viruses, but it is our immune system that determines whether we get sick or not. Association for Science Education Conference, Jan 2012

 

Chiropractic: Avoid Surgery? A patient with a symptomatic lumbar disk herniation should consider spinal manipulation before surgery. JMPT, Oct 2010

 

Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Rates Dropping. In the last 20 years, one million deaths from cancer have been avoided. From 1990-2008, death rates dropped 23% in males and 15% in females.

CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Jan 2012

 

Quote: “There are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something.” ~Thomas A. Edison

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

 

 

What is Carpal Tunnel?

Houston Area Chiropractor Comments: Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve (median), which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes compressed between the displaced bones of the wrist (called subluxation). Nerve signals originate in the brain and follow tracts down the spinal cord through openings between the neck bones (vertebrae). The nerves then travel down the arm and into the hand. At the wrist a semicircular tunnel allows the nerves to travel through the highly mobile wrist area. The tunnel is a narrow and rigid passageway of ligaments and bones at the wrist and contains the median nerve and tendons. The tunnel deforms when there is sprain or damage to the ligaments allowing the bones to move away from their normal positions.

There are also other causes for compression, such as inflammation. Sometimes the nerve is more susceptible to compression at the wrist if it is also pinched or irritated at the neck level. When the nerve is compressed or irritated at both the wrist and neck area it is called a double crush injury or syndrome.

Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be pinched. This is why sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen will decrease the pain in some patients. But they really are a no-end kind of treatment that never gets at the cause of why there is inflammation in the first place. They also have significant side effects, especially in older patients where they can cause stomach or intestinal bleeding (ulcers).

The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers except the little finger as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move. Pain, tingling and numbness in the hand can be caused by neck problems such as a herniated disk, sprains or subluxations, and arthritis.

When carpal tunnel syndrome strikes the result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist. Sometimes the pain runs from the wrist and back up the forearm. Many patients will also say that they have other bothersome symptoms such as back and neck pain or stiffness.

Many patients believe that surgery will help their condition or have had it recommended to them. It is important to make sure that a comprehensive diagnosis is obtained prior to contemplating surgery. Surgery is a very drastic and last resort type of option so one should try conservative treatments first. If the problem is an irritated or compressed nerve in the neck, no amount of wrist surgery will help that type of problem.

A comprehensive and thorough examination is needed to determine the cause of your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.

 

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com. or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

 

Dr Beecher’s February 2012 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!

 

“In general, mankind, since improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.” ~  Ben Franklin

 

 

Can This Vitamin Cut Your Risk Of The Flu By 42%?

The best part is – you do not even have to take

 this vitamin to get the benefits!  Find out how…

 

Read on the discover:

  • NTSB recommends full ban on cell phone use while driving.
  • The danger lurking in raw cookie dough!!!
  • 65 Pound Pit Bull Becomes Guardian Angel: The amazing story how a lost pit bull stopped a robbery and saved a mother and her 2-year-old child being held at knifepoint.  Move over Benji and Lassie, there is a new Sheriff in town!!!

Houston – There is no doubt about it, getting the common cold is no fun.  But, coming down with the flu can be a real nightmare!  No one wants to miss work or school and have to deal with a fever, chills, headaches, body aches and just plain misery for a week or so (or even longer if you do not take care of yourself).

Here’s something very important most people do not understand: It is must easier to PREVENT the flu (or any sickness or disease) than it is to treat it.

You’ve heard the quote:

“An ounce of prevention is

worth a pound of cure.”

But, for most people, it’s nothing more than lip service. It’s just human nature.  When you are sick and you feel terrible, you say you are never going to let “this” happen again.  You are going to eat right, exercise, etc.  But, as soon as you feel like you’re back to your old self, you start acting like your “old self.” Don’t feel bad… just about everyone does it that way… except for the people who almost never get sick. J

Let’s face it, ALWAYS eating right, getting proper rest, reducing stress and so on in today’s society is nearly impossible.  That’s why you should always make the effort to do your best and to find small, but powerful, things that can help you in a big way.

For a while, some medical experts have ranted and raved about Vitamin D and its positive effects on health… and more and more research is being published that makes it look like they’re right.

For example, Dr. Joseph Mercola writes, “According to the findings from a 2010 study that didn’t get any widespread attention, vitamin D is a highly effective way to avoid influenza. 

            “In fact, children taking low doses of Vitamin D3 were shown to be 42 percent less likely to come down with the flu.

“The randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study included 430 children aged 6-15, who were followed between December 2008 and March 2009.

“Half were given 1,200 IU’s of vitamin D3 daily, while the other half received a placebo.

“Influenza strains were determined through lab testing of nose and throat swabs.

“Eighteen of the children taking vitamin D contracted influenza Type A, compared to 31 children in the placebo group.

“Type B influenza rates were unaffected by vitamin D use, however, the illness resulting from Type B influenza strains is typically milder than Type A.

         “Considering the fact that influenza was reduced by 42 percent at a dose of just 1,200 IU’s a day, it’s possible that even better results might be obtained with higher dosages—depending on just how deficient you are to begin with, of course, because it’s not really the dosage that matters; it’s the amount of vitamin D in your blood.”

One huge thing to understand here is that the study isn’t just referring to “Vitamin D,” it’s referring to Vitamin D(3).  So, if you are going to take a Vitamin D supplement, it should be for Vitamin D(3)… and it is always recommended you consult with a qualified physician who is an expert on nutrition and up on current research.  A lot has recently changed about what researches and scientist know about nutrition, not to mention what was taught in school 10 or 20 years ago!

But, here’s something else that is important and often very misunderstood: The best possible source of Vitamin D does not come in the form of a dietary supplement.  The best source is the SUN.

Wait, isn’t sun exposure bad?  Doesn’t it cause skin cancer?

The first thing to understand is that “sun exposure” is not bad.  Too much sun exposure is bad.  Water is not bad for you but drinking too much water can kill you.  Simply because drinking too much is bad for you does not mean you should not drink any.

The same is true for the sun.  Everyone is different but everyone needs the proper amount of sun to maximize their health potential.  You should get regular amounts of sunlight but NEVER enough to burn you.

Since skin types vary, as does the sun’s strength in different geographic locations, there is no “formula” to follow.  Once again, seeking advice from a physician well educated on this subject is a must.  Getting no sun is not good, but you don’t want to get too much, either.

National Transportation Safety Board

(NTSB) Recommends Banning

All Use Of Cell Phones While Driving

“This (distracted driving) is becoming the new DUI.  It’s becoming epidemic,” said NTSB member Robert Sumwalt.

An estimated 3,092 roadway fatalities last year involved distracted drivers but experts think the true number is probably higher because many distracted drivers either do not admit it or are killed in the crash.

35 states ban text messaging while driving, 30 ban cell-phone use by novice drivers and 10 ban all use of hand-held cell phones.

The safety board recommends development of phones smart enough to know when you are driving to discourage use.

Their new proposed ban would go above and beyond what states are currently doing in an effort to regulate cell phone usage.

According to CNN, “The recommendation is the most far-reaching yet by the National Transportation Safety Board, which in the past 10 years has increasingly sought to limit the use of portable electronic devices — recommending bans for novice drivers, school bus drivers and commercial truckers.           “Tuesday’s recommendation, if adopted by states, would outlaw non-emergency phone calls and texting by operators of every vehicle on the road.

            “It would apply to hands-free as well as hand-held devices, but devices installed in the vehicle by the manufacturer would be allowed.”

Although safety is extremely important, one panelist discussing the issue wondered when the ban on playing with the car radio or children acting up in the back seat was going to come.

 

And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Inspirational Story Of The Month –

(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

65 Pound Pit Bull Becomes Guardian Angel:

Stops Robbery And Saves Mother And

2-Year Old Child Being Held At Knife Point!!!

 

It had been a good day.  “Angela” and her 2-year old son were leaving a playground in Port Charlotte, Florida.  That’s when a man cut her off in the parking lot.  He was holding a knife and told her not to make any sudden movements.  Angela didn’t know what to do.  She was physically at the mercy of her attacker and paralyzed with fear about what might happen to her little son.

That’s when it happened…  A guardian angel, in the form of a 65 pound pit bull, emerged from nowhere.  The super-hero dog charged the attacker and chased him off.

“I don’t think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman,” Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse. “I don’t know what this man’s intentions were, but it is very possible this dog saved her life.”

The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it so quickly jumped to defend.

“You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid,” Jones said. “He was like her guardian angel.”

As soon as the attacker ran off, Angela quickly put her son in their car.  The next thing she knew, the 65 pound pit bull was sitting in the back seat with her son, Jordan.  The dog looked like he was smiling.

Police believe the dog is probably not a stray, but rather, a lost pet because he is so well behaved.  So, the hero of the day was brought to a shelter with the hope his owner would find him.  But, Angela said if no one claims him after 5 days, she will adopt him.  She has already named him “Angel.”

“It’s funny, that someone’s irresponsibility could have saved someone’s life,” Jones said of Angel’s possible owners.

“I don’t know what his (the thief’s) intentions were — I don’t know why he did it, but I’m glad that — we call him Angel — I’m glad that Angel showed up because I don’t know what would have happened,” she added.

Pit bulls are banned in England, Denver, Colorado and Miami-Dade County in Florida.  If Angela had gotten attacked in a different part of Florida, Angel would have been “illegal” and most likely put to sleep.

ONE MORE SUPER HERO STORY – THIS ONE IS HUMAN!!!

When Lori Stearnes bought her grandchildren’s Christmas gifts on Kmart’s layaway plan, she had no idea she was about to discover the true meaning of the holidays.  You see, after she received her paycheck and went to pay her bill, she found out an anonymous donor had already done it for her.

“It just gives you a warm feeling,” said Stearnes, 53, of Omaha. “With all the things going on the world, just to have someone do that is so, I don’t know, it’s hard to put into words.”

At Kmart stores across the country, Santa got a little help this past holiday season… Anonymous donors paid off strangers’ layaway accounts and bought the Christmas gifts other families couldn’t afford, especially toys and children’s clothes set aside by impoverished parents.  Stearnes took her paycheck and paid someone else’s bill, just as others did all over the country.

We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better!  We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!  Don’t be a stranger.  You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!


Did You Know?…

 

Did you know that stress can lead to depression, weight gain and obesity, major health problems and over the long term, can even shorten your life? Well, now researchers at Tufts University think they might have the answer for stress relief in the form of a pill.  The researchers say they have discovered exactly how stress hormones affect receptors in your brain and they have actually been able to block them.

According to the author of the study, Jamie Maguire, PhD., “By blocking the synthesis of the neurosteroids, they stopped the elevation of corticosterone, and prevented anxiety in mice. We have identified a novel mechanism regulating the body’s response to stress by determining that neurosteroids are required to mount the physiological response to stress. Moreover, we were able to completely block the physiological response to stress, as well as prevent stress-induced anxiety.

            “Now, the team is focusing on modulating the neuroreceptors to treat some of the diseases that accompany stress — be they depression, anxiety, or epilepsy.” 

Words of Wisdom:  We all know stress is bad.  We all know that all drugs have side effects.  There are plenty of stress reduction techniques that do not require a drug, they just take a little effort.  (But, it is wonderful that science recognizes the importance of stress reduction.)

 

Tip Of The Month

STOP!!!!!  DANGER!!!  Don’t Eat That Raw Cookie Dough!!!

 

We all do it.  Just before you put the cookies in the oven, you take a little sample.  Most mothers tell their children to keep their hands out of the cookie dough because it will give them a tummy ache. Well, as it turns out, it can give them something much worse.  Scientists now warn that raw cookie dough can carry food-borne pathogens like E. Coli.

The Journal Clinical Infectious Disease recently published a study that reported an outbreak of E. Coli in 30 states with 77 illnesses.  Of these 77 people, nearly 35 were so sick they had to be hospitalized and 30 died.    According to Industry Leaders Magazine: The lead author of the study, Dr. Karen Neil, a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “What our report shows is that you shouldn’t eat cookie dough raw, no matter where it comes from. It’s supposed to be baked.”

            A recent study urges food manufacturers to get realistic with their products’ end purpose and consider presenting cookie dough that is not just ready-to-bake, but ready-to-eat.

Many think the E. Coli came from the eggs in the cookie dough.  But, as it turns out, it wasn’t the eggs or sugar but the raw flour that contained the E. Coli. That means, even if you are making your cookies from scratch, it is still possible to be exposed to E. Coli by eating raw cookie dough. Even though the chances are small that you’ll come into contact with E.Coli, you should still avoid eating raw dough. E. Coli does not just cause a simple stomachache, it is serious and people die.

In this case, it just makes sense to eliminate that risk, no matter how small it may be.

 

Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal

and maintain the pain free body you deserve.

 

This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice.  Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please let us know by contacting us at BeecherChiropractic.com.

Dr Beecher’s February 6 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!

WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday, February 6th, 2012

 

 

Mental Attitude: Sleeping Problems? People who are poor sleepers exert a ton of energy trying to force sleep. Sleep is something that has to naturally unfold, so the more you engage in behaviors to try to sleep, the less likely you’re going to fall asleep. Behavior Therapy, Dec 2011

 

Health Alert: Acid Reflux Up! Reports of acid reflux experienced at least once a week have increased by 47% in the last decade. The prevalence of any acid reflux symptoms rose 30%, while the more severe symptoms rose by 24%. There is concern that these findings will lead to an increase in cancer of the esophagus, a once rare but now more common malignancy that is very difficult to treat. Acid reflux, also known as gastro-esophageal reflux, is where the stomach contents (food and acidic digestive juices) escape upward into the esophagus. This can irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn and other symptoms. Being overweight is a risk factor for acid reflux. Gut, Dec 2011

 

Diet: Depression And Vitamin D. Because depression affects one in 10 adults in the US and low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to depression, researchers suggest that screening for vitamin D levels in depressed patients and perhaps screening for depression in people with low vitamin D levels might be useful. Vitamin D levels are now commonly tested during routine physical exams, and they are accepted as risk factors for a number of other medical problems such as autoimmune diseases; heart and vascular disease; infectious diseases; osteoporosis; obesity; diabetes; certain cancers; and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, multiple sclerosis, and general cognitive decline. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Jan 2012

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise helps to alleviate depression and increases your ability to adapt to cold environments. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: What Did He Say? “The quality of healing is directly proportional to the functional capability of the central nervous system to send and receive nerve messages.” ~ Janson Edwards, MD. PhD

 

Wellness/Prevention: Don’t Smoke, Be Happy! Smokers have concerns that their quality of life may deteriorate if they stop smoking. However, a study found, in the long term, smokers who successfully quit experience no such deterioration due to quitting. If anything, they see some noticeable improvements. Specifically, compared with those who continued to smoke, quitters scored higher on measures of overall quality of life, health-related quality of life and positive emotions, both one year and three years on. They also felt they had fewer stressors by the third year. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 2012

 

Quote: “Without Chiropractic I never would have won.” ~ Lance Armstrong

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Dr Beecher’s January 30 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!

WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday, January 30th, 2012

 

 

Mental Attitude: Do Video Games Enhance Cognitive Abilities? In a recent study, it was demonstrated that there is little solid evidence that games enhance cognition at all. On the other hand, it may be the people who have these enhanced abilities are more likely to play video games.

Frontiers in Psychology, Dec 2011

 

Health Alert: Diabetes Worldwide! There are 366 million diabetics worldwide and 4.6 million die each year from the disease. In the US, 8.3% or 25.8 million children and adults have diabetes, with 79 million having prediabetes. Diabetes Atlas, Nov 2011 & American Diabetes Association, 2011

 

Diet: Remember Cholesterol. High cholesterol levels may be associated with a greater incidence of brain plaques, a marker for Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology, Sept 2011

 

Exercise: Wide Waists Trim Lifespan. Since the mid-1970s, when Harvard published “The Nurses Study,” we’ve been told women with waists over 40 inches raised their risk of early death by 40% vs. women who maintained waists in the 26-27 inch measure. Pounds add up. Studies show that obesity is starting earlier than ever. 18% of children ages 12-18 are reported as being obese and 66% of baby boomers (81 million born between 1946-1964) are either obese or overweight.

New England Journal of Medicine, Sept 2011

 

Chiropractic: Chiropractic and the NFL. All 32 teams in the National Football League offer their players and personnel chiropractic physician services for both managing and preventing injuries. Professional Football Chiropractic Society

 

Wellness/Prevention: Too Much Booze, You Lose. Men are more likely to binge drink than women. Research shows that drinking even a small amount of alcohol increases cancer risks, though moderate amounts of alcohol can show cardiovascular benefits that outweigh such risks. Men can play it safe by having no more than two alcoholic drinks per day.

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Nov 2011

 

Quote: “A revolution is coming – a revolution which will be peaceful if we are wise enough; compassionate if we care enough; successful if we are fortunate enough – but a revolution which is coming whether we will it or not. We can affect its character, we cannot alter its inevitability.”

~ President John F. Kennedy

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Why Does My Neck Hurt So Much But My Car Only Got a Dent?

Clear Lake Area Chiropractor Comments: Whiplash pain can be much different from other types of injuries. When a car accident is severe, the pain will come on right away. If the injury produces a mild or moderate sprain, sometimes it takes a few days for the pain and inflammation to reach its maximum. Sometimes it is stiffness that is the prominent symptom and the patient notices this in the first few weeks after the accident. The delay in pain is often seen in low speed collisions where typically there is very less damage to the vehicles.

There are a lot of factors that determine the extent of injury following a low speed whiplash. One of these is the neck posture prior to impact. Was the head turned? This can occur if the patient was looking at the rear view mirror during the collision. Low speed collisions can occur in parking lots. If the patient was turned to see if a space was clear, this can make a simple trauma result in a significant injury.

Besides the position of the patient prior to the collision, the speed and amount of vehicle damage are sometimes good criteria for the severity of the trauma. However, it may not be in many cases because of crumple zones. Cars are built with crumple zones. These areas are crushed during the collision and absorb the energy of impact. In some low speed collisions, there is less crumple and more of the force is transmitted to the occupants. This is but one reason why vehicle damage won’t always equate with the spinal damage.

Another factor in whiplash is whether the head-rest was properly positioned. A proper head-rest should be close to the back of the head and its high point slightly above the top of the head. The reason for the high position is that in a rear-end collision, the patient who is being hit will rise slightly with impact. If the head- rest is too low, then the neck will bend around it like a fulcrum causing even more injury. The same thing happens if the seat is reclined too far and the head whips backwards before hitting the head-rest.

Because symptoms can come on slowly and minor vehicle damage is not a good indicator of injury, a thorough examination is required. It is important to be checked by a chiropractor or other competent health care provider after any motor vehicle collision.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Dr Beecher’s January 23 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday, January 23rd, 2012

 

Mental Attitude: A Good Laugh. When we laugh heartily among friends, we exhale repeatedly without drawing breath. This physical effort leaves us exhausted and triggers the release of protective endorphins, one of the complex neuropeptide chemicals of the brain that regulate pain and promote feelings of wellbeing. Watching 15 minutes of comedy in the company of others can increase your pain threshold by an average of 10%. Laughter is 30 times more likely to happen when we are with others than when we are alone. Proceedings of the Royal Society, Dec 2011

 

Health Alert: Antibiotic Resistance. Overexposure to antibiotics has long been a concern in the medical community, most specifically the development of antibiotic resistant infections as a result of repeated use. Ophthalmologic antibiotics have been found to promote antimicrobial resistance too, prompting a call from Vanderbilt Eye Institute physicians to be more judicial in the administration of certain classes of

antibiotics. Archives of Ophthalmology, Dec 2011

 

Diet: Protect Your Bones. A calorie-restricted diet higher in protein (mostly from dairy foods) and lower in carbohydrates, coupled with daily exercise, demonstrated a major positive impact on bone health. Bone health improvements were particularly evident due to the diet’s high density of bone-supporting nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D and dairy-based protein.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dec 2011

 

Exercise: It’s Harder To Run As You Age. Runners who find it more difficult to run as they age can make the experience easier on themselves by adding strength training and flexibility exercises to their fitness routine. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Dec 2011

 

Chiropractic: Bad Posture. Asymmetries in posture and motion can cause tethering, the adverse prolonged stretching of the central nervous system. This can result in spinal cord ischemia (lack of blood flow) and consequently motor, sensory, and autonomic neurological dysfunction. Tethering of the spinal cord has been linked to demylenating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. Koch, 2002

 

Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Prevention In Your 50s. Cancer is more likely to show up in men over 50 years old. That’s why the majority of cancer screening exams begin at age 50. Finding and treating cancer as early as possible is one of the best ways to beat this disease. In the case of prostate cancer (the most common cancer in men), treating the disease at an early stage means men may be less likely to experience long-term side effects, like impotence. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Nov 2011

 

Quote: “Money cannot buy health.” ~ Dorothy Parker

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Dr Beecher’s January 16 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!

WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday, January 16th, 2012

 

 

Mental Attitude: Watch This! A study compared mother-child communication while watching TV to reading books and the impact of each on child development. Watching TV led to less interaction between parent and child, with a detrimental impact on literacy and language skills. The team found that when reading a book with their children, parents used a more active communication style, bringing the child into contact with words they may not hear in every day speech, thereby improving their vocabulary and knowledge of grammar. Human Communication Research, Dec 2011

 

Health Alert: Hard To Swallow. 70,000 emergency visits each year are due to unintentional overdoses by children under the age of 18. Alarmed by this statistic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set up the PROTECT Initiative, a collaboration of public health agencies, private sector companies, professional organizations, consumer/patient advocates and academic experts to stop unintended

medication overdose in children. The study found that of the cases of accidental poisoning in young children in the United States, exposure to prescription medications accounts for 55% of emergency visits,

76% of admissions and 71% of significant harm. Journal of Pediatrics, Dec 2011

 

Diet: Have A Beer? Beer containing 5% alcohol and consumed at the rate of one pint a day compares to wine regarding positive effects on cardiovascular health. The study emphasizes that there is no place for binge drinking or any other form of heavy consumption. European Journal of Epidemiology, Dec 2011

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise increases your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max-perhaps the best measure of your physical working capacity of your lungs).

Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: Pain and Posture. Patients demonstrating postural instability (body swaying while standing upright) are more likely to suffer from chronic neck or back pain.

Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, May 2011

 

Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Prevention In Your 40s. As we age, our metabolism decreases, especially as we reach age 40! Making healthy food choices and staying active every day can help keep off unwanted pounds that may raise the risk of cancer. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Nov 2011

 

Quote: “Come to think of it attention to health is life’s greatest hindrance.” ~ Plato

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.